Dial with universal connections



May 12; .1925.

W. P. DE 4WITT DIAL WITH UNIVERSAL coNNEcIIoNs Patented May 12, 1925.

UNITED STATE-s PATENT UFFICEL i WILLIAM I?. DE WITT, F SOMER'VILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNCIR IO DE WITT- LA FRANCE COMPANY, QF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS. y

DIAL WITH UNIVERSAL CONNECTIONS.

y Application mea :mae ze, 1924. serial No. 722,489.

To all 'whom z'zfmag/ concern:

Be it known that I, VVrLLIAM I). DE Vrr'r, a citizen of the United States, residing a Somerville, in the vcounty of'MiddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dials with Universal Connections, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to a dial for radio sets and contemplates the production of a dial embodying a connecting member adapted to be fastened to a shaft, the connecting member and dial being free to tip relatively to each other, but having no lost motion therebetween 'circumferentially thereof when the dial is rotated in either direction. Y p The invention is particularly adapted to be used in connection with radio sets for connecting a dial-to a shaft, such for example, as the shaft which rotates the movable arm` of a rheostat, or the plates of a variable condenser. In radio sets, the shafts referred to are liableto be not exactly normal to the face of the panel, upon which they are rotatably mounted, or if such a result is attained inthe set, it requires very accurate and expensive machine work to. accomplish the same, and the'object of this.

invention is to provide a connection between the dial and the shaft which it rotates which, even if the shaft is not normal tothe front face of the panel, the dial will automatically assume a position in which the inner face of the dial will be parallel to the front face of the panel, no matter into what position the dial may be rotated.

The invention further has kfor its object to provide a dial of the character described which may be used in radio sets in connec tion with a vernier variable condenser or vernier rheostat.

Torthese ends the invention consists in the combination and arrangement ofvparts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof. Y

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section on line 11 of Fig. 2, off a dial with a universal connection embodying a `preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on rline 2w2, Figure 1. i*

Fig. 3 is a sectional elm/ation similar to Fig. 2, illustrating amodification of my invention. i

Fig. 4f is a sectional elevation of a modi.- fied form of my invention adapted to be used Vinconnectien A ment. Y 1 1 Like numerals refer to like parts in the views of the drawings.

In the drawings, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 6 is the panel of a radio set. 7 is a shaft rotatably mounted in a bearing 8 fast to ksaid panel 6, the outer end of said shaft projecting through the panel 6 and into a connecting member 9 which is fastened' by a screw 10 thereto. The connecting member 9 has a slot 11 at its outer end extending longitudinally thereof, andthe bottom of said slot is provided with a slight depression 12 into which the inner end of a pin 13 projects.l The pin 13 is preferably screw threaded and has screw-threaded engagement with a sleeve 14 located in the inner end'of a recess 15 provided in the knob 16 cfa dial 17. Thedial 17 is preferably provided with a plurality of cork inserts 18 which bearagainst the front face of the panel 6 and supply a frictional rewith a vernier attache sistance to the accidental rotation of the the dial can tip laterally thereof upon the connecting member 9, the pin 13 constitut-` ing aV pivot and the slot llallowing the pin Vto tip laterally as viewed inFig. 2, aboutv the eXtreme `inner end of .said pin.

The outerend of theconnecting member 9 is made of aspherical shape on its periphery as at 20, and the peripheryof this outer end Y f of the connecting member projects into the' sleeve 14 and bears against they inner side walls thereof, so that there will be no play of the dial transversely of the shaft 7, but

it -willflt the spherical ended portion of'` the connecting'member 9 no matter in what position it may be tipped. Thepin 13 being of approximately the same diameter as the width of the slot 11, the pressure which is brought to bear upon the pin in rotating the Civ shaft 7 and the connecting,` member 9, `will be taken not by the extreme point of the pin 13 in the depression 12, but will be taken by the diametrically opposite sides ot the pin as it bearsv against the opposite sides ot the slot 11, and moreover, it will be particularly noted that there Will be no play or lost motion bet-.Ween the dial and the shaft circumterentially thereo't` when the dial is rotated in either direction.

It will thus be seen that with the construction hereinbefore described, the inner tace ot' the dial will always assume a position parallel to the front tace ot the panel, Whether or not the shaft is normal to the ront tace of the panel.

In Figi. 3 a modified form ot my invention is illustrated in which the parts are substantially the same, except that the connecting member 9 is made of va spherical shape integral with the shaft 7, and the slot tor the 'connecting pin is made in the end `of the shaft.

Referring to Fig. 3, (3" is the panel, 7 the shaft, 8" the bearing for the shaft, 11 the longitudinal slot in the end ot the shaft, 12? the depression in the bottom of the slot 1l', 13 the connecting pin, 14e the sleeve, 15 the recess in the dial, 1G the knob on the dial, and 17 the dial. The parts operate in the same manner as lrereinb'eiiore described in relation to the kembodiment ot my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring nonv to the embodiment ot my invention illustrated in Figi'. et, which iilustrates the saine in a form adapt-ed to be used with `vernier attachments employing a holiow sliafl't A'for one rotary member ot theI attachment` and another shait rotatably mounted in the hollenv shaft for another portion of the attachment, 21 is a panel, 22 a 'dial with a knob 23 and with a sleeve 2t fitting tightly in a recess 25 provided in the knob of said dial. 26 is a hollow shatt rotatably mounted in a bearing 27 -tast to the panel 21. rThis holl'on'Y shaft has a 'con- 'necting member 28 fast to its outer end, the connecting m'ember being attached to the shaft by 'a screw 29. `The outer lend of the connecting member 28 is spherical shaped as at 30 and lits in the sleeve 24, being` tree to 'tip in said sleeve, -but held trom Withdrawaltherefrom 'by a screw B1 which has screw-threaded engagement with the sleeve 24e, an'd the pointed end ot which projects into a depre'ssioi'i termed in the bottom ot a slot 33 which extends longitudinally of the connecting` l'member l2S at the outer end thereot. The diameter "oit the screwv B1 is approximately 'the -sam'e as the width of the slot A shaft 311 is rotatably mounted in the hollow shalt 26 and projects through the vdial 22 an'd sleeve at its outer end, said shaft 34 having la dial 35 tast to its outer endand provided With a knob 36, whereby the shaft Si may be conveniently rotated in a manner Well known to those sl-nlled in the art.

lt will be seen that with this construction,

as in the embodiment oi my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the inner iace or the dia-l Will lie parallel to 'the outer :tace of the panel 21, whether or not the lieilov.' sha't't 2G is normal to the 'front tace ot the panel.

1t will be seen that in the embodiment ot my invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the connecting` member 9 terms, in operation fand effect, when the parts are assembied. a portion 'of the shaft 7 and may be made integral therewith, as in Fie. 3, without departing from theV spirit or my invention, the 'only object of having the connecting inember 9 a separate piece from the shaft 7, but rigidly Atzuitened thereto by the screw 10, is for 'coi'ivenienee or manufacture and marketability, and 'for securing a desirable proportion ot the parts.

The saine is true of the connecting member 28 in the embodiment o' my invention illustrated in Fig. 4.

It will also be understood that the sleeve 1 4. in that embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is ineifcet a part :of the dial 17 as it is rigidly fastened thereto, but said sleeve is made ot a different piece of n-iaterial for lconvenience ot manufacture, 'io'r strength, and 'for Wearing` qualities, and the same is true `etl the sleeve in the embodiment oit my invention illustrated in Fig. d, but as to operation and eli-ect, the sleeve let, 'or the sleeve 21, might. be made integral with the diai without departingfrom 'the spirit ot my invention, and the appended claims are to he read and understood as embodying either of' these constructions.

I claim:

1. A rotary dial, a connecting member adapted to be fastened to one end ot a shatt and provided with a slot ext-ending longitudinally thereof, said connecting; member being positioned in a recess provided in said dial and a connecting pin on said dial 'projecting into said slot and terminatingat its inner end in a depression prov'ided in the hott-om ot said slot.

2. A rotary dial, a connecting;l memlier adapted to be Vifastrned to one end ot a shaft and pro 'ided with a slot extending' loi i tudinally there/ot, said connecting member being' positioned in a recess provided in said dial and terminating in a spherical shaped end ii'tting into a recess provi/.led in said dial, and a connect-ing' pin on said dial projecting into said slot and ter ing` at its inner end in a depression prov ided in the bottom of said slot.

rotary dial, a knob on said dial, a connecting member adapted to be fastener Cri to one end of a shaft and provided with a slot extending longitudinally thereof, said connecting member being positioned in a recess provided in said dial and its knob, and a screw projecting through said knob transversely thereof and terminating at its inner end in a depression provided in the bottom of said slot. Y

4. A rotary dial, a knob on saiddial, a connecting member adapted to be fastened to one end of a'shaft andr provided Witha slot extending longitudinally thereof, said connecting member being positioned in a recess .provided in said dial and its knob, and a screw projecting' through said knob transversely thereof and terminating at its inner end in a depression provided in the bottom of said slot, theV inner end of said screw terminating approximately in the axial line of said shafts- 5. A rotary dial, a connecting member adapted to be fastened to one end of a shaft and provided With a slot extending longitudinally thereof, said connecting member being positioned in a recess vprovided inA said dial, and a projection on said dial projecting into said slot and terminating at its inner end in a depression provided in the bottom ofV said slot.

(i. A rotary dial, a connecting member adapted to be fastened to one end' of a shaft and provided withY a slot extending longij tudiiially thereof, saidconnecting member being` positioned in a recess provided in said dial and terminating in a spherical shaped end litting into a recess provided in said dial, and a projection on said dial projecting into said slot andterminating at its inner end in a depression provided in the bottom of said slot. j

7. rotary dial provided with a recess, a sleeve.` in said recess, a connecting member adapted to be fastened to one end of'a shaft and provided with a slot extending longitudinally thereof, said member being positioned in said sleeve, and a connecting pin on said dial projecting into vsaid slot4 and terminating at its inner end in a depression provided in the bottom of said slot.

8. In combination a rotary dial,l a panel, a shaft rotatably mounted thereon'and projecting therethrough, a connecting member fast to one end of said shaft and provided with a slot extending longitudinally thereof, said dial being provided With a recess into Which said connecting member projects, and a connecting pin on said dial projecting into said slot and terminating at its inner end in a depression provided in the bottom of said slot.

9. In combination, a rotary dial, a panel,

a shaft rotatably mounted thereon and projecting therethrough, a connecting member terminating in a spherical-shaped end fast to one end of said shaft and provided with a in a depression provided in the Vbottom of said slot. f

10. In combination, a rotary dial, a rotanY shaft, a panel through which said shaft' projects, a connecting member fast to one end of said shaft and provided with a slot` extending longitudinally thereof, said dial being provided with a recess into Which said connecting member projects, a knob on said dial, and a screw projectingA through said knob transversely thereof and terminating at its inner end in a depression provided in the bottom of said slot, j

l1. In combination, a rotary dial, a rotary shaft, a panel through which said shaft projects, a connecting member fast to one end of saidvshaft and provided with a slot extending longitudinally thereof, said dial being provided With a recess into Which said connecting member projects, a knob on said dial, Vand ascrew projecting through said knob transversely thereof and terminatingV at its inner end in a depression provided in the bottom of said slot, the inner end of said screw terminating approximately in the axial line Vof said shaft.

12. In combination, a rotary dial, a shaft adapted to be rotatably mounted on a stationary support, one end of said shaft being provided with a slot extending longitudinallythereof, said dial being provided with a recess into which said shaft projects, and a projection on said dial extending into said slot and tcrn'iinating at its kinner end in a depression provided in the bottom of said slot.

13. In combination, a rotary dial, a' shaft adapted to be rotatably mounted on a stationary support, one end of said shaft being spherical shaped and providedvvith a slot extending longitudinally thereof, said dial being provided with a recess intol which said spherical-shaped end projects, and a prolili) jection on said dial extending into said slot '5 and terminatingfat its inner end in a depression provided in the the bottom of said slot.

14. In combination, a rotary1 dial, apanel, ashaft rotatably mounted thereon and pro-A jecting therethrough, a connecting member fast to one end of said shaft and provided Y with a slot'extending longitudinally thereof, said dial being provided with a recess, a sleeve in said recess into Which said connecting member projects, and a connecting shaft rotatably mounted in said hollow shaft, means yto rotate said shaft, a Connecting member fast to one end oi' said hollow shaft vand provided with a slot extending longitudinally thereof, said dial being, provided with n recess into which said connecting member projects and through which said shat projects, and a connecting pin on said dial projecting into said slot and terminating at its inner ond in a depression 10 in the bottom of said slot.

ln testimony whereo'tl l have hereunto set my hund in presence oi' two subscribing witnesses. f

VILLAM P. DE il/TITT. YVitnesses FRANKLIN E. Low, HAZEL F. BATES. 

